I want to use fb infrastructure to create a live video broadcast of a machine about to perform an action. Users/viewers can move the machine by "liking" the live video or "loving" it. A "love" moves the machine to the right, a "like" moves it to the left. There is a time countdown in the feed, when the feed reaches zero the machine executes the inevitable action. By liking/loving, the users can reposition the machine, that way they can prevent/ensure the machine from executing the action on a subject. As of what the action and the subjects are? I am not sure.
Examples include:
- Fish in fishbowl- a hammer.
- Dollar bill destined for a fb watcher- a lighter/shredder
- Wall constructing deconstructing robot.
Why facebook?
- The idea of someone being "more real" than an ip address/ not anonymous. People can visit your profile and get some information about you.
- The wider reach of audience through an established infrastructure.
- The established presence and role fb has in today's society and its appropriation.
Why Left and Right and not destroy or save?
Our actions may be simple, but their consequences are often complex, rarely black or white. At the end, that which happens is often a mixture of uncountable inputs, a machine to which we all contribute without necessarily understanding how. By clicking left or right you are collaborating (efficiently or not) with a larger audience. The result will be your collective decision, even if it is not the majority's choice.
Thoughts about the internet
- How it tends to polarize, how "as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Hitler approaches 1"(Godwin's law).
- The chance for a meaningful interaction decreases, hatred grows and biases are strengthen.
- Then way the medium (internet) nourishes on its own blood to exist.
Inspiration/Influence
http://wafaabilal.com/domestic-tension/
Perhaps one of the biggest sources of inspiration for this project is Iraqi-American artistWafaa Bilabl.
In 2008, in efforts to bring himself and the world closer to the war conflicts tearing apart Iraq Wafaa lived for 31 continues days in a gallery in Chicago. His loyal companion an internet controlled paintball gun. Anyone in the wold with an internet connection could move and aim the gun as well as pulling the trigger.
Other thoughts:
Lately I have been reading a lot about the way internet transforms our behavior.
- We often think about things online as easily accessible, and the truth is that for the most part, the web is invisible to us. Yes, you can write a post and have it read by anyone in the world, but how often does that happens.
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Perhaps play with money. Have a (100?) dollar bill and a random player form the crowd. The player has the chance to convince the people not to burn the note. Let the world decide.
In about 10 minutes the fire turns on half the space, if the dollar bill is on that side it gets consumed by fire. Else the person gets the dollar bill through facebook messenger.
This action will be repeated every hour on the hour for 10 hours.
Why one dollar?
Because I can afford it.
Because there is no difference between wining $1 or $10. Perhaps $100 starts making a difference. $10000 would be great but I can't afford to lose.
Perhaps there could be a system where people could pay to increase the pot.
Is the money being destroyed real?
Not sure, apparently it could be illegal. Do I really want to loose that money. Perhaps it make sense in the larger skim of things.